Instrument casing



` June 12, 1934. R.- P. BRowN INSTRUMENT cAsnG' Filed oog. 24 19;;

FIG I.

Patented `lune 1934 UNITED STATES 1,962,422 INSTRUMENT casina Richard P.Brown, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to The Brown Instrument Company,Philadeb' phia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October24, 1931, Serial No. 570,809 '5 claims. (ci. 'ze- 151) My presentinvention relates to the construction and mounting of the casings orhousing elements of pressure gauges, gas and liquid actuated recordingthermometers, flow meters and other 5 measuring and exhibitinginstruments which may serve a wide range of purposes.

@ne general vobject of my present invention is the provision of aninstrument case adapted to be interchangeably mounted in different typesof mountings. Another general object of the invention is to provide aninstrument case of such construction as to facilitate the attachment lllthereto of means for closing openings in the casing through' which awire or conduit connection may be made between the mechanism within thecasing and associated apparatus external of the casing in one or anotherdifferent modes as the character of the mounting or the character of themechanism enclosed within the casing may maire desirable.

The various features of novelty .which characterize my invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,however, and the advantages possessed by it, reference should be had tothe accompanying drawing and descriptive matter in which l haveillustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

f the drawing:

Fig. l is a front elevation partly broken away of an instrument casemounted on a Wall;

Fig. 2 is an elevation with parts broken away and in section of theinstrument case shown in Fig. `1 as arranged in a ush panel mounting;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged rear view of a portion of the instrument case asarranged in Fig. 2;

Fig. i is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is ia view similar to Fig. 2 'of a pipe mounting.

In the drawing l1 have illustrated the invention as embodiedl in aninstrument case of circular outline, such as is used, for example', witha recording thermometer or pressure gauge having a discshaped recordchart.

comprises a box-like body member A of circular cross-section andadvantageously formed of diecast aluminum. The body A is open at itsfront to permit access to its interior when the door B, which is hingedto the body at B', is open. The door can be opened and closed by meansof the knob B2 arranged at one side thereof.

The body A is provided with a relatively narrow ttl all

The instrument case shown externally projecting flange A at the marginofA the door opening. When the instrument case is mounted flush with avertically disposed panel board C, as shown-in Fig. 2,' the body extendsthrough a circular opening C in the panel C, and the rear side of themarginal flange A' contacts with the front side of the panel at themargin of the opening C' therein'. When so arranged,V the case isclamped in position by means of a series of clamping members D securedto the panel by screws D and gripping the marginal flanged mi' atcircumferentially spaced points.

When the instrument case is desired to be mounted cna vertical wall E,as shown in Fig. l, it can be secured thereon by means of :dat elongatedlugs F arranged in shallow grooves or 'm pockets A2 formed in angularlyspaced marginal portions oi the rear wall A3 of the body at the l rearside thereof and secured thereto by screws F' tapped into thickenedparts .at of the rear wall portions forming the bottoms of the groovesA2. it The opposite end portion of each lug is formed with an openingF2, adapted to receive a screw Gr for securing it to the wall. The lugsand grooves are advantageously so 'relatively proportioned that each lugmay be secured in the urrespondth ing groove with either of its endsoutermost. When the case is to be connected to a wall, the lugs arearranged with the ends containing the opening F2 outermost andprojecting beyond the periphery of the body, as shown in Fig. l. When @tthe case is to be hush mounted, the lugs are turned from theirprojecting position indicated by full lines in Fig. l and broken linesin Fig. 2 to their concealed position shown by full lines in Fig. 2. linthe latter position, the lugs will;l be dush with t@ the rear side ofthe body rear wall and with the peripheral wall A5. y

The receiving and exhibiting mechanisms housed in the instrumentcase/when the latter is installed must usually be connected toassociated apparatus located externally of the case. Connectors for thispurpose are usually passed through one or more openings formed in one ofthe body -walls at a point accessible to the user. For example the mostsuitable location for the connector opening for a wall mountedinstrument' case has been found to be in the exposed peripheral wall A5of the body, and in a flush type mounting in the rear wall A3, since inthe latter type most of the peripheral wall is concealed by thesupporting panel structure.

` In accordance with the invention, an instrudit ment case of thecharacter described is also provided with a special body wall opening oropenings in which a special closure attachment part or parts may beinterchangeably positioned to permit external connectors to pass intothe case at the most suitable point for each type of mounting, while inall mountings the case is maintained closed to prevent the entrance ofdust, dirt or fumes with consequent injury to the enclosed mechanism. Asshown, the lower portion of the peripheral wall A5 is formed with arectangular opening A6 extending from a point near, but spaced from, therear side of the marginal flange A to the rear edge thereof. Theadjoining portion of the rear wall is formed with a similarly shapedopening A7, the side edge portions of which are in alignment with thecorresponding edge portions of the peripheral wall opening A6 and formcontinuations thereof. portions of the openings A6 and A7 are similarlycut away at their outer sides to form relatively narrow ledges or seatsA and A9, respectively, on which the closure part or parts hereinafterdescribed are seated and secured.

In accordance with my invention, the opening so formed in the rearcorner of the case is closed by one or more closure members adapted tobe interchangeably positioned therein, saidclosure members, or at leastone of them, being provided with means permitting the connection theretoof an external part. As shown in Figs. 1 4, two such closure parts areemployed, one of which is a rectangular plate H, which is adapted to bepositioned over either of the body opening portions with its side edgeportions abutting the ledges A8 or A9 and secured thereto by at headedscrews H. The other closure member is a plug J, also of rectangularformation, but of greater thickness than the plate H. A projectingmarginal flange J is formed at the outer side of the plug J to abut themarginal ledges A9, to which the side portions of the flange are securedby flat headed screws J2. The main portion of the plug extends throughthe wall opening A7 into the interior of the instrument case.

The main portion of the plug J is formed with a central passage J3having a rectangular countersunk outer end portion J4 and through whichextends the terminal head K of a conduit member M. The head K is oftubular formation to permit the passage therethrough of a connector Ncarried in the member M. The connector N may be in the form ofelectrical conductors, a capillary tube, or a continuation of theconduit member M, depending upon the character of the measuringinstrumentalities employed. The head K is proportioned to snugly flt inthe plug passage J1l and is held in position therein in any suitablemanner, such as by a leaf spring O interposed between the inner side ofthe plug K and a peripheral flange K' formed on the inner end of thehead.

In mounting the instrument case, the connector-carrying plug J is fittedinto the more suitable of the two wall openings and the closure of thecase completed by the plate H. When a flush type mounting is used, theplug J is desirably arranged in the rear wall opening, as shown in Figs.2 4. The peripheral wall opening will then be closed by the plate H. Asshown in Fig. 4, the closure parts are so proportioned that the rearportionof the plate H combines with the lower flanged portion' of theplug J to provide a tight joint therebetween and a smooth outer surfaceconforming with the remaining outer surface portions oi the body. Asshown in Fig. 3, the outer side of the plate H 1s flat to permit it toThe marginal conform with the rear wall of the body when closing theopening A7.

When the instrument case is to be mounted on the front of a wall E, asshown in Fig. l, the plug J is positioned in the peripheral wall openingA6 and the plate H utilized to close the rear wall opening A7. In thisarrangement the lower edge of the plate will contact with the then rearside of the plug body and upper face of the rear flanged portion tocompletely close the body of the case.

The closure parts H and J may thus be interchangeably positioned in thedifferent portions of the case opening and the tap holes for the screwsH and J2 in the ledges A8 and A9 and in the closure parts areadvantageously similar in size and arrangement to permit interchangeablescrews to be used. Tight joints between the closure parts may be furtherinsured by providing the contacting surfaces of the closure partsandledges with joint-sealing material, as indicated in the drawing.

Fig. 5 illustrates the use of the above described instrument case with adifferent form of closure means for the said openings A6 and A7. Theclosure means shown in Fig. 5 comprises an attachment of angle formhaving two integrally connected plate portions P' and P2 extendingtransversely to one another and each shaped to t against the seatassociated with each opening.

As shown the portion P is formed with an opening P3 into which a pipe Qis secured as by a threaded connection. As shown in Fig. 5 the pipe Qextends downward, but by shifting the disposition of the part P so thatthe portion P2 closes the bottom opening A6 while the part P closes therear wall opening A7, the pipe Q will then extend horizontally away fromthe rear wall of the casing. The pipe Q may form or surround a pressuretransmitting conduit connection to the instrument mechanism ywithin thecasing, or may enclose a wire connection to said mechanism when this isdesirable. In some cases the pipe Q may serve simply as a post formingthe support, or one of the supports for the instrument.

The described instrument case construction eliminates any necessity fora special case form for each type of mounting and obviously results inlower manufacturing costs due to the reduction in case types required tobe manufactured. The provisions by which this capacity forinterchangeable use is attained do not increase the size or render theinstrument unsightly and add little to' the Weight' and cost of theindividual cases. By the use of the interchangeable closure parts, thecapacity for different types of mounting is increased and theeffectiveness and appearance of the mounting is improved by thepermissible location of the external connectors in the most advantageousposition relative to the case.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I haveillustrated and described the best forms of embodiment of my inventionnow known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatchanges may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appendedclaims, and that in some cases certain features of my invention may beused to advantage Without a corresponding use of other features.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

I. A casing for an instrument of the type speciiled comprising abox-like body open at its front side and formed lwith an opening in itsrear wall and with an opening in its side wall merging with the rearwall opening at the corresponding portion' of the casing and havingsimilar seats associated with the two openings and an attachment partadapted to be interchangeably secured against each seat to close thecorresponding opening.

2. A casing for an instrument of the type specified comprising abox-like body open at its front side and havingcommunicating openingsformed at the juncture of peripheral and rear wall portions thereof, acovering plate detachably .arranged in one of said openings, and aconnectorcarrying plug detachably arranged in the other of saidopenings, said plateand plug being interchangeable in use and uniting toclose said body openings.

3. A casing for an instrument of the type speciiied comprising abox-like body substantially circular in cross-section and open at itsfront side, said body having communicating openings formed at thejuncture of peripheral and rear -wall portions thereof, a covering platehaving a flat outer surface, and a connector-carrying plug, said plateand plug each fitting interchangeably in each of said openings anduniting when one is in one, and the other is in the second of saidopenings, to close both openings.

4. A casing for an instrument of the type specified comprising abox-like body substantially circular in cross section and open at itsfront side, a marginal flange projecting a small distance outwardly fromthe peripheral wall of said body adjacent the front side thereof andadapted for connection to the marginal portions of a panel openingthrough' which said body may extend, said body having communicatingopenings formed at the juncture of peripheral and rear wall portionsthereof at the rear of said marginal' flange, a covering plate having aflat outer surface, 'and a connector-carrying plug, said plate and plugeach iitting interchangeably-in each of said openings and uniting whenone is in one, and the other is in the second of said openings, to closeboth openings.

5. A casing for an instrumentl of the type described having transverselyextending wall portions meeting at an edge of said casing and having anopening in each of said portions which merges at said edge into theopening in-the other portion, and having attachment part seats at themargin of said openings, and attachment parts including a tubularinstrument connection part, said parts .being adapted for mounting insaid seats to collectively close said openings with said tubular partextending through either opening.

RCHARD P. BROWN.

